Page 33 of Hooves & HeartStrings

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Finally, the day of the presentation arrives. The classroom is filled with anxious excitement as students get ready to present their projects. Steve and I assume our positions at the front of the room, with our materials ready.

Steve starts the presentation, his voice clear and confident. I watch from the side, my nerves slowly easing as he nails each point. When it’s my turn, I step forward and deliver my portion of the presentation, feeling a sense of accomplishment as the class listens.

As we finish, there’s a round of applause. The professor nods approvingly. “Well done, you two. Excellent work.”

We sit down again, and I can finally relax.

Steve gives me a thumbs-up, and I smile back.

While I collect my belongings, I sense Lucius watching me once more. I turn to see him watching me from the back of the room, an unreadable expression on his face. He gives a small nod, almost as if in acknowledgment. I nod back, my emotions a tangled mess.

Steve and I leave the classroom together, parting ways outside. He’s talking about celebrating, but I’m only half-listening. My thoughts are elsewhere.

seventeen

“Where is she?” Brooks searches the parking lot as we head toward the buses.

Stacy has a track meet today and it’s a few hours away, so the school rented buses and hotel rooms for the team and anyone who wants to go and support them.

“Who, Marley? I don’t know,” I answer as I start to search the crowd of students.

“No. Stacy,” he huffs, his tentacles looking like a rippling wave as he moves.

“Dude, it’s been, what, three weeks since we’ve gotten here and you're already obsessed with this girl.” I chuckle.

I don’t blame him, though. Turns out Stacy is his mate. She just doesn’t know that yet, because of the same reasons I haven’t told Marley. And the fact that Stacy has said she’s not looking for anything more than just sex. My poor friend is so far gone for this girl, he’s taking whatever he can get. I want to tell him to get to know her and then let her know about the mate thing, but I can’t say shit until I do something about my situation first.

He shoots me a glare. “Says the man who’s been stalking his mate for the same amount of time. You have no room to speak, man. You're just as obsessed with Marley, if not probably more.”

She’s still avoiding me. These past three weeks have been hell seeing her everywhere, but being unable to touch her.

I’ve tried talking, but she ignores me. I tried getting her alone, but she turns around and walks away. I get that I hurt her, but this is getting a little bit too damn much.

“There she is!” he says, pointing one of his tentacles toward the last bus.

There she is, standing next to my mate. The two of them are talking. Marley tosses her head back and laughs, her whole body shaking.

It does something to my heart. And my cock. Fuck, the last thing I need right now is a boner. It’s not easy hiding one when you have a dick my size.

I need to get my girl alone, to show her why she needs to be done being mad at me and give me a chance.

“You know how you’ve been dying for more alone time with Stacy?” The two of them have been just texting for the most part, hanging out when they can. They’ve gone on one date, and things got hot and heavy, but they couldn’t find alone time because Marley, I guess, never leaves her room after school. I love my best friend, but I’m not leaving the room so he can fuck my girl's best friend. I already told him that I’m not a big fan of the idea. The only reason I didn’t make a big deal of it is the fact they turned out to be mates.

Which makes what I’m about to ask a bit of a surprise to him. And me.

“Yeah.” He narrows his eyes, sounding suspicious.

“The girls are rooming together, and so are we.”

“Yes.”

“What if you room with Stacy, and I room with Marley?”

His brows jump. “I don’t think they’re likely to agree. I mean, maybe Stacy, but Marley is going to shut that down fast.”

“That's why we don’t give them a choice.” I grin, turning toward Sawyer, who joins us.

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